Monday, November 26, 2018

Mission Impossible Vegan Burgers at Monty's Good Burger










One of the few things I am always excited about in finding new places is that... you never know what hits you until it happens.

Take a case in point with Monty's Good Burger. I was on my way to have a few drinks and bites at Here's Looking At You (Congrats on being named on Eater's Top 38 restaurants of 2018). For a bit odd reason, I saw a long line out the door at 6pm on a Saturday night. Of course, I'm looking at all these young fashionable hipsters wannabes and figuring a Black Friday sales was happening. Then I took a good gander and realized they are lining up where Sumo Dog's old mini counter used to be at. It's all for a place called Monty's Good Burger.

The line wasn't for their hot dogs as they moved to Santa Monica's Gallery Food Hall. What was going on you may asked? Apparently the line is for vegan burger. Go figured right with the appearances of hipsters and young millennials. 

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Sorry for the grain as it was taken at midnight

Fast forward in about... 5 and a half hours later? There is still a line for this. In a true sense of being so LA, I decided to google and Yelp Monty's Good Burger up to get an idea what I'm dealing with. Apparently it got raves from several publications that I ceased to trust and a few knowledgeable writers I followed from a distance. All of whom are raving about their the "veggie burger that bleeds".

I just stood in line because of what?... bored on Saturday night? Needing something to soak up the drinks I just had at Here's Looking At You? Worst yet? Just want to figure it out if the hype is real or I'm missing out 5 months too late.

Oh yeah, I also wanted to meet the mascot, Monty, the white Schnoodle that is on the logo. Don't laugh, but there were people actually wanted to take selfies with that celeb doggo and I'm one of the few that gets to pet him and also shooting the breeze with of the handlers who was patrolling and controlling the line.

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When it was my turn to order, I noticed a few things that stuck out to me. One was the simplicity of the menu to either a single patty or double patties. The components can be subtracted from the usual lettuce, tomato, vegan cheese, grilled onion, or their special thousand island sauce. If it screams out In-Out-Burgers to you, then you're not alone. A kale salad, Fries, and Tots are the other main items you can ordered besides the two burgers.

Treated with care, would vegan burgers like this makes me wanting to order more? What's the verdict? Here's the funny part? If you put a blind test on me, I couldn't tell the difference between this plant based patty with the meat patties. More to the succinct point, this incarnation can be juicy as well. Way better than the tofu burger you're accustomed to.

If you are into the Mission Impossible Burgers, then the grilled burgers from Monty will suits your need. One thing I crave for is the buns they used. Everything here is locally sourced and they are not cutting corners to bring out the best in what they are serving. Including an eco-friendly bottled water "Just Water" branded by Jaden Smith. Pretty much that speaks volumes to me... in a subtle green friendly way.

Initially, I was bummed out that Sumo Dog moved to the westside, but with a fresh blue coat of paint and a logo of Monty plastered on the wall, it seemed like nothing changed. Without a missing beat, I would gladly get a single or double from Monty's.

A great find all because of yours truly not wanting to pay for valet parking and walk a distance to discover place on the way to dinner!

Monty's Good Burger
516 S. Western Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90020

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